RGXC NORDIC/Cross Country Ski Instructor - Level I

Sugar Bowl; California; Hybrid; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k plan (Employer sponsored)

Paid sick time

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Professional development opportunities

Free ski passes for employees

Free passes for dependents

50% off food at restaurants

Free group ski lessons for employees

Employee lift ticket discounts

Hotel discounts

Job summary

Royal Gorge Cross Country (RGXC), Sugar Bowl's Nordic ski resort, is hiring Ski Instructors (Level I) to teach adult, children, and private lessons across our cross-country trails. This role offers hands-on teaching experience and collaboration with an experienced team in a dynamic winter environment.

PSIA/AASI Level I certification is required or obtainable early in the season. You will also assist in Rentals, support lesson organization, and potentially help across departments for a

Qualifications

• PSIA/AASI Level I certification or willingness to obtain it early in the season.
• Strong communication of information, instructions, and commands to clients in a clear and friendly fashion.
• Open to learning new skills and supporting other departments as needed - team-first mindset.

Responsibilities

• Provide excellent customer service to guests, employees, and business partners.
• Teach adult and children ski classes in cross-country techniques.
• Assist in the rental room, outfitting customers with equipment.
• Maintain current knowledge of teaching and skiing techniques.
• Assist ski school students with proper ski equipment use and technique.
• Perform trail maintenance, such as tree limbing, brush cutting, and marking trail hazards and detours.
• Help at POS locations with customer rental and retail questions as needed.
• Assist with snow removal in winter months, including shoveling and clearing walkways, equipment, and other areas as necessary.
• Cross-train and lend a hand in other departments as needed, building a broader understanding of resort operations.

Skills

PSIA/AASI Level I certification

Job description

This position is located at Royal Gorge Cross Country (RGXC), Sugar Bowl's Nordic ski resort. RGXC is located 10 minutes west of Sugar Bowl in Soda Springs, CA. With over 100 miles of Cross-Country ski trails, RGXC is the premier Nordic ski destination in the Tahoe region.

Royal Gorge is looking for Ski Instructors (Level I) to teach adult, children, and private lessons across our cross-country trail system. This is a great starting point for building a career in ski instruction - you’ll gain hands‑on teaching experience while working alongside a supportive, experienced team. At the discretion of the Ski School Director, you’ll also lend a hand in Rentals and help with lesson organization, giving you a well‑rounded view of how Royal Gorge runs.

Why Sugar Bowl?

Sugar Bowl Resort has been proudly independent for over 80 years and is one of the oldest ski resorts in California. Situated atop beautiful Donner Summit, Sugar Bowl has a storied past with ties to Austrian ski culture, Hollywood and Walt Disney. This special community helped bring skiing to “sunny California” since December 1939. Since then, it continues to attract adventurous winter sports enthusiasts alike.

Who You Are

• Able to perform each essential duty of this role successfully and safely
• PSIA/AASI Level I certification required, or willingness to obtain certification early in the season
• Skilled at communicating information, instructions, and commands to clients in a clear and friendly fashion
• Open to learning new skills and supporting other departments as needed - a versatile, team‑first mindset
• Comfortable speaking effectively in front of groups of students
• Capable of working in harsh High Sierra weather conditions

What You’ll do

• Provide excellent customer service to guests, employees, and business partners
• Teach adult and children ski classes in cross‑country techniques
• Assist in the rental room, outfitting customers with equipment
• Maintain current knowledge of teaching and skiing techniques
• Assist ski school students with proper ski equipment use and technique
• Perform trail maintenance, such as tree limbing, brush cutting, and marking trail hazards and detours
• Help at POS locations with customer rental and retail questions as needed
• Assist with snow removal in winter months, including shoveling and clearing walkways, equipment, and other areas as necessary
• Assist with checking season pass holders
• Cross‑train and lend a hand in other departments as needed, building a broader understanding of resort operations

Physical Requirements

• Comfortable standing, skiing, and demonstrating technique for extended periods during a full shift
• Capable of working outdoors in harsh, cold High Sierra winter weather conditions
• Solid skiing ability sufficient to teach and demonstrate technique safely to beginner and intermediate students
• Able to perform trail maintenance tasks, including limbing, brush cutting, and light equipment handling
• Able to shovel and clear snow, including heavy, wet snow, as needed
• Sufficient visual and auditory acuity to monitor student safety and communicate clearly across varied terrain

Winter Benefits

• Employer sponsored 401k plan after 1,000 worked hours and one (1) year of service
• Paid sick time
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Professional development opportunities
• Free ski and tubing passes for employees
• Free ski passes for dependents
• 50% off food at our restaurants
• Free group ski and snowboard lessons for employees
• Employee discounted lift tickets for family and friends
• Lift ticket discounts at multiple resorts including 24 Mountain Collective destinations
• Hotel discounts
• Employee ski reciprocal programs